The clock in the U.A. High School dormitory ticked past midnight, its soft rhythm drowned out by the hum of the communal kitchen fridge. Izuku Midoriya, better known as Deku, shuffled in, his green hair a tousled mess, eyes half-lidded with the weight of a long day of training. His stomach growled, a persistent nag that had dragged him out of bed in nothing but a worn-out All Might T-shirt and a pair of loose sweatpants. The dim glow of the fridge light was his only guide as he rummaged through the shelves, bleary and barely coherent.
“Ugh, there’s gotta be something…,” he muttered to himself, fingers brushing past half-empty soda cans and someone’s forgotten bento box. Then, jackpot—a tall, unmarked bottle tucked in the back, frosty to the touch. He squinted at it, his tired brain registering it as one of those protein shakes Iida was always chugging after workouts. Without a second thought, he popped the cap and tipped it back, taking a long, desperate gulp.
The taste hit him like a punch from Bakugo—sharp, salty, and… weirdly unique. Deku froze mid-swallow, his face scrunching up as the flavor lingered on his tongue. It wasn’t unpleasant, exactly, but it definitely wasn’t vanilla whey. He coughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and held the bottle up to the fridge light for a closer look. Scrawled across the side in neat, deliberate handwriting was a name: *Shoto Todoroki*. Below it, a cryptic little note: *“Special Reserve.”*
“Special… Reserve?” Deku whispered, his voice cracking with confusion. His freckled cheeks flushed as his overactive mind kicked into gear, spinning through a dozen increasingly mortifying possibilities. “W-wait, this can’t be… no, no way. Todoroki wouldn’t—would he?” He shook his head, trying to banish the thought, but the taste still clung to his lips, teasing him with its mystery.
He paced the small kitchen, clutching the bottle like it was a live grenade. “Okay, Deku, think. Maybe it’s just some weird health drink. Like, uh, kombucha or something. Yeah, that’s it. Todoroki’s all about balance, right? Hot and cold, yin and yang, freaky fermented drinks…” But even as he rambled, a tiny, mischievous voice in the back of his head piped up, dripping with suggestion. *Or maybe it’s something else entirely. Something… personal. Don’t you wanna know?*
“Shut up!” he hissed to himself, slapping a hand over his face as if that could silence the intrusive thought. His heart raced, a mix of embarrassment and a strange, flickering heat he didn’t want to name. He glanced at the bottle again, then at the hallway leading to the dorm rooms. Todoroki’s door was just down the corridor. He could march over there right now, demand an explanation, and put this whole weird episode behind him. Or…
*Or you could keep this little secret to yourself. Maybe even… investigate further. Straight from the source.* That damn inner voice again, low and teasing, sending a shiver down his spine.
Deku groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. “Why am I even thinking about this? I’m not—ugh, I’m not some creep! I’ll just… put it back. Yeah. No confrontation. No weird questions. Done.” But as he shoved the bottle back into the fridge, his fingers lingered on the cold glass, his mind refusing to let go of the puzzle. What *was* that taste? And why did the idea of asking Todoroki about it make his stomach flip in a way that wasn’t entirely dread?
He was still standing there, lost in thought, when the kitchen light flicked on with a harsh buzz. Deku yelped, spinning around to find none other than Mina Ashido leaning against the doorway, her pink skin glowing under the fluorescent light, a smirk playing on her lips. She wore a tight tank top and shorts, clearly just rolled out of bed herself, but her sharp golden eyes were wide awake and locked on him like a predator sizing up prey.
“Well, well, well,” Mina drawled, crossing her arms and cocking a hip. “What’s got our sweet little Deku sneaking around in the dark, looking like he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar? Or… something else?”
Deku’s face turned tomato-red, his stammer kicking into overdrive. “M-Mina! I-I wasn’t—uh, I was just getting a snack! A totally normal, not-weird-at-all snack! Ha ha, y’know, midnight munchies, right? Right?!”
Mina’s smirk widened as she sauntered over, her bare feet silent on the tile. She leaned in close—too close—her citrusy scent hitting him like a wave as she peered at the fridge behind him. “Uh-huh. And what’s this ‘normal snack’ you’re so worked up about? ‘Cause you’re sweating bullets, babe.”
“I’m not—!” Deku started, but Mina cut him off with a raised hand, her tone dripping with mock authority.
“Don’t even try it, Midoriya. I’ve got a nose for secrets, and you’re reeking of one. Spill it, or I’ll start guessing. And trust me, my guesses are *dirty*.” She winked, her grin all teeth, and Deku felt like he might actually combust on the spot.
“It’s nothing, really!” he squeaked, stepping in front of the fridge as if that could hide the evidence. “Just, uh, grabbed the wrong drink by mistake. That’s all. No big deal. I’m gonna go back to bed now, okay? Goodnight!”
Mina’s laugh was sharp and knowing as she blocked his escape with a quick sidestep, her gaze pinning him in place. “Oh, no you don’t. Wrong drink, huh? Whose was it? Bakugo’s spicy energy shot? Ochako’s sugary soda stash? Or…” Her eyes flicked to the fridge, then back to him, narrowing with dangerous curiosity. “Wait a sec. That’s Todoroki’s spot in there. Did you nab something of *his*? Oh, this just got juicy.”
Deku’s knees wobbled, his voice barely a whisper. “Mina, please, can we just drop it? I didn’t mean to, I swear—”
“Drop it?” Mina echoed, stepping even closer until he could feel the heat of her presence. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial purr. “Sweetie, I don’t drop anything unless it’s boring. And the way you’re blushing tells me this is *far* from boring. So, what was it? Some weird fancy tea? Or…” She paused, her smirk turning downright devilish. “Something a little more… personal?”
Deku’s brain short-circuited, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “W-what are you even—? No! It’s not like that! It was just a weird taste, okay? Like, salty or something, I don’t know, I’m not thinking about it, let’s not talk about it!”
Mina threw her head back and cackled, the sound echoing through the quiet kitchen. “Salty, huh? Oh, Deku, you’re killing me. You’ve got no idea how much I wanna drag this out of you right now. But fine, I’ll play nice… for tonight.” She stepped back, giving him a mock salute. “Just know I’ve got my eye on you, cutie. And if I catch you sniffing around Todoroki’s ‘special reserve’ again, I’m getting the whole story. Maybe even helping you get a refill.”
Deku choked on air, his face burning as Mina sauntered out of the kitchen, her laughter trailing behind her like a taunt. He slumped against the counter, heart pounding, the taste of that strange drink still haunting him. His eyes darted to the fridge, then to the hallway where Todoroki’s room waited, silent and unknowable.
*Go ask him. What’s the worst that could happen?* that inner voice whispered again, sly and insistent. Deku shook his head, muttering, “Nope. Not doing it. Not tonight. Not ever.” But even as he trudged back to his room, the curiosity—and that unexpected flicker of desire—burned hotter than ever, leaving him to wrestle with a secret he wasn’t sure he could keep.
And somewhere deep down, he knew Mina wasn’t the only one who’d be watching for his next move.
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